Flush tank apparatus



March 16, 1937. w. H. FINLEY ET AL 2,973,835

FLUSH TANK APPARATUS Filed Nov. 11, 1955 2 Sheets-Shet 2 40 a 5 4/ W INVENTORS.

@Zm T- BY F745. 6 m/ WW Patented Mar. 16, 1937 PATENT orrics FLUSH TANK APPARATUS Walter H. Finley and Charles H. Hamilton, Nashville, Tenn.

Application November 11, 1935, Serial No. 49,210

12 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus adapted to control the ingress and egress of fluid with respect to a reservoir and specifically to a flush tank apparatus for use with water closets.

The objects include the provision of such apparatus which will be safe, positive and efficient in operation. A specific object is to provide a truly sanitary flush tank or like apparatus; in other words, an apparatus of this type which will, under all supply pressure conditions, prevent back flow of water from the apparatus into the supply system.

A further object is to provide a water closet flush system which will be relatively silent in operation though quick to respond when actuated.

Another object is to provide an improved valve of the type shown in our copending application, Serial No. 714,490, filed March 7th, 1934.

Other objects include generally improving apparatus of the type herein disclosed for flush tank and other purposes, as will become apparent from the following description relating to the accompanying drawingsshowing one embodiment of.

the invention. The essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing a flush tank apparatus of the syphon operated type, part of the syphon being shown in longitudinal section; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same apparatus; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the water inlet valve adapted to control the flushing and filling operation; Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of the valve of Fig 3, as indicated at 44 and 55 on Fig. 3; Figs. 6 and '7 are end views of respective valve body sections, showing the coadjacent surfaces of these sections; and Figs. 8 and 9 are transverse sectional views of the weir portions of the syphon, taken substantially along the planes 8-8 and 9-9 on Fig. 1.

Flush tanks of the syphon operated type, notwithstanding certain inherent advantages, such as simplicity of construction, silence of operation, relative freedom from dump valve troubles, etc., have not come into general use, largely because they are sometimes sluggish, notably when water pressure in the plumbing system is or becomes low. Both the syphon operated type and the type generally in use have been found to operate improperly under certain conditions and sometimes become sources of danger for reasons only recently appreciated. We refer particularly to the fact that many installations have no provision for positively preventing drainage of the contents of the tank and/or bowl back into the water supply system when the supply line pressure be comes locally reduced below atmospheric at the time the tank is flushed or an attempt is made to flush it. The present apparatus, under repeated tests, has developed none of the above noted disadvantages for reasons that will be made 5 apparent below.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the arrangement illustrated comprises a complete flush and fill systemincluding a conventional tank I with substantially standard inlet and outlet fittings 2 and 1 3 respectively in its bottom wall. A water supply riser 4 extends upwardly from the fitting 2 to a valve mechanism 5, which latter is located well above the normal water level of the tank shown at L. The valve mechanism may be sup- 15 ported, as shown, by the riser. The syphon connects with the fitting 3 and is indicated generally at 6.

The valve mechanismb has the double function of supplying water to the syphon to prime it (tank discharge function), and water to the tank to refill the tank (inlet function) after the syphon has operated to flush the closet bowl. The valve mechanism 5 therefore comprises two separately operative units 1 and 8, which respectively effect the said two functions in the order mentioned.

The tank discharge valve unit 1 is adapted to be controlled manually as by a touch button 9 onthe wall of the tank. Control is effected through the medium of a pilot valve 48 suitably housed in a fitting [0, Fig. 2, which valve opens a control tube ll leading therefrom to the valve unit 1. Opening of the tube ll operates (as will later be shown) to effect communication of the riser with a water discharge tube l2 connected with the valve mechanism body and which may include an aspirator unit 13; the tube I2 leading into the open lower end of the up leg [4 of the syphon. The tube discharges water into the syphon in such a manner that the column of water normally standing in the up leg is raised over the weir of the syphon to start the syphoning operation.

The tank refilling or inlet valve unit 8 is controlled automatically by a float l5 acting through an arm adapted to work an actuating, or pilot valve 49 (Fig. 4) in the inlet valve unit 8. The operation of the float and pilot valve controlled thereby follows the above outlined discharge operation and communicates the riser with a vertical hush tube l6 (Fig. 1) which is open at its bottom end into the tank for refilling it.

The period of operation of the valve unit! is very brief but the syphon continues to operate, :55

when started, until the water level in the tank recedes to a point below the lower open end of an adjustable length syphon breaker tube I! leading into the elbow of the syphon, preferably in the manner shown. The operation of the valve unit 8 continues until the normal water level of the tank is nearly established when the float resets its pilot valve, and, shortly thereafter, the the main valve of 8 closes, completing the cycle.

Referring in. detail to the valve mechanism 5 (Figs. 3 to 5), this includes two valve body members or sections and 2| arranged to facilitate casting of parts and machining of the various chambers and openings. The section 20 has a F vertical inlet passage 22 opening outwardly into a recess 22 for receiving the flanged upper end of the riser 4 and a suitable gasket by which a water-tight connection is made between the riser and the body passage 22. The riser flange and gasket are seated into the recess by an annular clamping plate 22a attached to the body section 20 by screws, as shown.

The riser has an offset at 4a to permit adjustment of the valve body toward and away from the front wall of the tank while remaining in parallelism with the long horizontal dimension of the tank.

The valve inlet 22 branches as shown in Fig. 3, and the branches enter respective parallel valve chambers in the form of cylinders 23. The inlet ports and valve seats are formed, as shown, by sleeves 24 screwed into respective passages. Approximately aligned with the cylinders 23 are relatively enlarged piston or plunger cylinders 25 (in body section 2|). The valve mechanism carried in the two sets of cylinders being alike, one is omitted from the illustration (Fig. 3) to better illustrate the character of the body parts. Description of one valve mechanism will suffice for both.

The valve plugs for controlling the ports 24 and the pistons for operating the plugs each comprise two separate assemblies operatively connected by springs 26, the operation of which will be further referred to hereinafter.

The plug assembly (Fig. 3) includes a head 21, which may be recessed at 21' to receive a plastic or fibrous seat 28, the head, as shown, being embraced by the flange of a cup-leather (e. g.) seal 29, and being undercut as at adjacent the free edge of the flange to assist in spreading of the flange by flow of liquid from the port 24 when the valve is opened. The cupleather is backed up by a disc 3!, held against it by the head of a screw 32, the shank of which enters the head 21. The head of the screw centers the adjacent or inner end of the spring with respect to the cylinder 23.

The piston assembly comprises, as shown, a flanged cup-leather seal 33 and suitable spreader spring 34 held on one end of a centrally flanged stud 35, as by a nut 36. The opposite end of the stud carries a similar nut, which centers the outer end of the spring.

It will be noted that the effective area of the cylinder 25 is considerably larger than the area within the seating surface of the valve plug, this being in order that feed line water pressure (from the inlet 22, as will be presently shown) may operate on the pistons of both valves to hold them closed.

It may be mentioned at this point that both sets of cylinders are open to the atmosphere on opposite sides, window efi'ects being indicated at 38, formed as diametrically opposite notches in the body casting 2|. The castings are easily machinable, as will be obvious, from the abutting faces of the castings, which are joined at 39 (see Figs. 7 and 8) and the two parts may be doweled for alignment (dowels at 40) and secured by appropriate screws or bolts, through openings 4! Referring to Fig. 5 it will be noted that the inlet passage 22 is extended vertically beyond the lateral branches, part of the effective passage comprising the interior of a T-fitting 42. Small friction tubes 43 and 44 are connected to the branches of the T by suitable high pressure couplings or equivalent means and lead to respective similar fittings 45 and 46 in the body section 2| behind the plungers of respective cylinders. All connections are high-pressure fluid-tight. The tubes have relatively small inside diameters;

about l/64th of an inch being recommended for the specific use illustrated.

The vertically extending passage 22 (beyond the branches thereof leading to the ports 24, and including the T-fitting) forms an inertia chamber for maintaining hydrostatic pressure head at the entrances of the friction tubes when either or both valve plugs 28 is or are withdrawn from their seats and the hydrostatic head is converted into velocity head at the point of discharge. The inertia chamber is important in any use of the valve mechanism described but it is particularly important when, as in the present instance, two valves are used, one being open at least part of the time that the other is closed. The inertia. chamber operates as above indicated by reason of the water impinging with full force in the direction of general admittance to the valve system on the nearly closed upper end of the chamber, thereby maintaining a high hydrostatic head adjacent the tube entrances, notwithstanding the fact that the hydrostatic head is greatly diminished at the valve ports when opened.

The constant small diameter friction tubes may be increased or decreased in length to control the period of operation of the pistons in closing the respective valves, or these periods of operation may be controlled by varying the displacement of the cylinders 25 or the length of travel of the pistons. Variation of the operating period by altering the length of the tubes is much simpler, easier and inexpensive as a matter of practice. We find the long friction tubes much 5-. superior to mere orifices (although such may be used) because the effective opening does not have to be as small, for a given discharge, in the case of the tubes, as in the case of a mere orifice; and the likelihood of clogging by sand particles or other impurities in the water is therefore less, using the tubes.

The pressures afforded in the pressure chambers behind respective pistons is sufiicient to hold the valves 24-28 closed, due to the area differential above mentioned, so long as these pressures are maintained. The pilot valves serve to respectively release said pressures. Both preferably comprise standard automobile tire valves; Dill valves being recommended.

The pilot 48 (in the fitting Ill, Fig. 2) is, as above stated, operated by the touch button 9 on the tank and need only be opened momentarily and allowed to immediately close. Such opening discharges into the tank a small volume of water (approximately equal to the contents of the pressure chamber), and the piston is forced toward the head portion of its cylinder partly by the spring 26 and partly by inlet pressure at the port 24. If the cup leather of the piston has 45 ness of operation.

become frozen" inits cylinder by the effect of static friction, it is broken loose by the stored energy of the spring, as fully explained in our prior application showing a single valve identi- 5 cal in operating principle with that just described.

'10 said port. The water discharged by the pilot 48 enters the tank through a suitable opening in the fitting H], the position of which opening is indicated at 48a, Fig. 2.

The operation of the pilot 49 (Fig. 4) for the 15 tank inlet or refill valve is the same with respect to its pressure cylinder and piston as the operation of the pilot 48 is to its cylinder; 49 being opened by the weight of the float as will be clear from Fig. 4. The only difference in the operation 20 of the pilot valves is that the pilot 49 stays open longer than 48, for obvious reasons. The small volume of water released from the pressure chamber by the pilot 49 drains directly into the tank.

In order that the pilot for the inlet valve unit 25 8 will be delayed in its operation to start refilling the tank until the syphon priming function of the valve unit 1 has been performed, to the end that the energy of the incoming water will not be depleted by operation of the valve 8v until the 30 syphoning action has started to empty the tank,-

a special float is provided for operating the pilot 49. This is shown in the form of a relatively long tube (say by 6"), and it will be seen that with this type of float as compared to a ball shaped float the water in the tank will have to recede a considerable distance before the float develops sufficient effective weight to operate the pilot. When the pilot 49 of the inlet valve 8 opens, 40 the water admitted to the valve chamber of 8 enters the hush tube l5 past a series of horizontal holes 50 in the hollow extension 5| on the body section 28 which supports the hush tube. The passage to the tube is chamfered at 58 for quiet- The holes 50 serve as air inlets to prevent suction of water from the tank into the feed system in the event the valve 8 is opened when pressure in said system is below atmospheric.

50 It is desirable to adjust the speed at which the tank is refilled. This may be accomplished by suitable restricting means in the passage from the main inlet 22 to the valve port (see Fig. 3). The adjusting device there shown comprises a 55 screw 60 having a spherical inner end adapted to enter the passage and restrict it as desired, the screw having a lock nut 6| recessed on its underside at 62 to receive a suitable packing ring. The screw is easily accessible through the top of the tank.

When the pilot valve 48 of the discharge valve unit opens, the syphon is primed, as previously stated, by discharge of water through the tube l2 into the syphon. The aspirator device [3, Fig. 3,

has lateral openings 52 which allow air to enter the tube. Thus, after each flushing operation, air stands in all portions of the tube l2 which are above the water level of the tank. On the next operation of the valve unit 1, the air thus trapped that the syphon responds more quickly with the aspirator functioning than when the openings thereof are purposely closed in making such tests.

It will also be seen that the aspirator openings, by breaking suction above the water level in the event of absence of water pressure in the feed line, when the valve unit I operates, perform a highly important function from the standpoint of sanitation.

A suitable construction for the aspirator device is shown in Fig.3. A sleeve 53 is indicated as screwed into the threaded discharge passage 54 leading from the port of the valve 1. The passage 55 in the sleeve is gradually restricted, and at the zone of greatest restriction, the inside of the sleeve is formed into a cone lying opposite the aspirator openings 52. The water column is jetted across a gap at this point into a passage of decreasing diameter formed in an inner sleeve 56 (made in one or two parts as desired), the bore of this passage, being gradually enlarged, beyond the Venturi restiction (at 57) to the full inside diameter of the rest of the tube l2. The tube, as shown, includes a compression coupling 58. Substantially no velocity or pressure is lost as the column of water passes the openings 52 on account of the action of the device as a venturi. The proportions of the venturi are such that the speed of flow is increased approximately four times and air in small bubbles is drawn into the column of water as it passes the openings 52, thus (apparently) maintaining to some extent the increased water speed beyond the Venturi restriction.

We find that, due to the explosive or other action of the air laden column of water entering the syphon through the tube l2, the tube need only slightly enter the up leg of the syphon to serve its purpose, thereby facilitating installation and saving expense.

The wier of the syphon is preferably D-shaped in cross-section, flat on the bottom, and having a crowned top (Fig. 8) as distinguished from a true flat wier. The section gradually changes to that shown at Fig. 9 below the elbow and finally becomes circular, which construction we find prevents the formation and retention of an air bubble on the outer part of the passage beyond the elbow and about where the syphon tube starts to become straight.

For securely holding the lower end of the tube 52 in place, during mounting of the inlet and discharge valve assembly and tightening of the various connections, we prefer to form a series of claws or lugs as at 80 on the upper part ofthe fitting 3 which supports the syphon, which lugs may be bent partially around the tube from above and below it to securely hold the lower end of the tube in operative relation to the syphon.

Referring further to the action of the apparatus as a completely sanitary installation, it will be noted that the window openings 39 (Figs. 3 and 4) in the valve body permit air at atmospheric pressure to get behind the respective valve plugs of the valves 1 and 8, which plugs may be slidably sealed in their cylinders 23, as above mentioned, so that in the event of suction in the water supply line, the valves will be maintained closed irrespective of the action of the pistons 33, etc., tending to release or unseat them. It will be noted that the suction breaker openings 50 and 52 of the hush tube and syphon primer tube, as well as said window openings, are an inch or so above the top of the syphon; and since the syphon will operate of itself as an overflow should the water level in the tank get above the syphon there is never any possibility of submerging the various openings.

While the apparatus shown is of the syphon operated type it will be understood that the energy released by the discharge valve '1 may operate any other type of flush device, and that either valve (1 and 8) may serve singly. For instance, the inlet valve 8 may be used with a bulb flush apparatus merely to fill the tank after its contents are dumped by the usual rubber flush tank bulb valve. This requires no illustration since the unit 8 would only require modification to the extent of leaving off the unit I.

We claim:

1. In a flush tank, in combination, fluid pressure operated means to fill the tank, fluid pressure operated means to empty the tank, respective valves "for said means, and devices operated by fluid pressure to normally hold both valves closed.

2. In a fluid tank apparatus, in combination, respective fluid pressure operated means to fill and empty the tank, valves for said means, and devices operated by fluid pressure operatively connected with respective valves to normally hold them closed, the connection in each case including yielding energy storing means.

3. In a flush tank apparatus of the class described, including a water feed line, valves operatively arranged in said line to admit water to effect flushing and filling operations with respect to the tank, discharge tubes leading from each valve to below the normal water level of the tank and suction breaker openings in both said tubes above said water level.

4. Fluid control apparatus comprising a tank, a syphon in the tank for discharging the contents of the tank, means for admitting fluid to the syphon in a manner to prime the same, and means associated with the aforesaid means to introduce air in conjunction with the priming fluid.

5. In flush tank aparatus of the syphon discharge type, having a syphon and a tube for priming fluid operatively associated with the leg of the syphon which is open to the tank, means for introducing air into the tube.

6. In flush tank apparatus of the syphon discharge type having a syphon and a priming fluid tube operatively associated with the syphon, a valve in the tank for supplying fluid to the tube, said tube having a portion extending above the normal fluid level of the tank and having an air inlet opening therein.

7. In a closet flush tank means for emptying the tank, fluid operated means to actuate the aforesaid means, said fluid operated means including a valve and tube leading from above to below the normal liquid level of the tank to effect said actuation, and air inlet means operatively associated with the valve and tube above said level to prevent suction of fluid from the tank toward the valve when the valve is opened.

8. In a closet flush tank, in combination, fluid pressure operated means adapted to fill the tank,

including a valve for admitting water to said means, a fluid pressure operated device arranged to close the valve, said device being operatively connected to the water supply line behind the valve, a pilot for releasing the operating pressure of the said device to allow the valve to open, means to discharge the contents of the tank, and a float operatively connected to the pilot and having materially greater vertical dimension than horizontal dimension, whereby the action of the pilot to release the inlet Valve is materially delayed beyond the operation of the discharge means.

9. Inlet apparatus for a fluid tank, comprising a fluid supply line, a laterally directed passage leading from said line to form an inlet valve port, a plug normally closing said port, a piston and cylinder, said piston being operatively associated with the plug to close it, said inlet terminating a short distance beyond the lateral passage to form a fixed inertia chamber, and restricted fluid passage means leading from the inertia chamber to the cylinder behind the piston to maintain operating pressure thereon and supply fluid to the cylinder at operating pressure notwithstanding whether the valve is open or closed.

10. In flush tank apparatus, a valve body comprising two sections each having a cylindrical cavity, said sections being secured in abutment so that the open end of each cavity is substantially adjacent and in alignment with the open end of the other, a fluid entrance passage formed in the end of one section to admit fluid to the tank, a valve plug slidable in the cavity of the same section to open and close the passage, a piston in the other cavity, and fluid entrance means to admit fluid to the latter cavity to force the piston toward the plug, there being a yielding operating connection between the piston and plug.

11. In fiush tank apparatus, a valve comprising a two-part hollow body, each part being generally closed at one end and having an open cylindrical cavity at the other, said parts being secured in abutting relation, with the cavities in open alignment with each other, a fluid passage for conducting fluid into the tank formed in the generally closed end of one body part, a plug sealingly fitted in the cavity of the same part and adapted to close the passage, a piston in the other body part sealingly occupying the cavity thereof, means to admit fluid under pressure into the latter body part behind the piston, a lost motion operating connection between the piston and plug, and means to freely admit air between the piston and plug so that the plug may be seated independently of the operation of the piston.

12. In a flush tank, a syphon for discharging the contents of the tank and means to prime the syphon, said syphon having a generally D-shaped wier with the fiat side down, the said priming means comprising a fluid tube directed into the syphon generally toward the wier.

WALTER H. FIN'LEY. CHARLES H. HAMILTON. 

